Course Syllabus: Anxiety Therapy 101

Course Description

Welcome to "Anxiety Therapy". In today's hyper-stimulated society, more people than ever are suffering from the inability to process stress, trauma- and even daily life with ease. This has led to a sharp increase in anxiety related conditions and has made it necessary for both the common person, as well as professionals to learn about beneficial coping strategies and therapies to minimize the impact.

In this course, you will gain a thorough understanding of anxiety in all of its manifestations, as well as learn proven therapies from both traditional and alternative medicine. Focus is placed on the accurate identification of specific anxiety disorders, their probable causes and understanding the specific treatment options for each, which is best able to facilitate good mental and bodily health.

When the average person thinks about the term "anxiety," often what may come to mind is a person who worries excessively, or who may have a nervous habit or tick. And while these can be manifestations of anxiety, this type of condition can include symptoms that far exceed general nervousness. If left untreated, some forms of anxiety can venture into the realm of being harmful, or can even lead to accidental death or suicide.

Life is fraught with frustrations, stress, and occasional disappointments. It is normal to feel bouts of anxiety at times. However, when the worry or fear becomes constant or immobilizing, it has turned from being a healthy form of caution and self-preservation, to a condition in need of attention. Similarly, a person may have an aversion to something -- such as a snake or specific type of food. However, if that aversion turns into an uncontrollable and irrational fear where they imagine snakes at every turn, or develop an eating disorder, treatment should be sought immediately.

What is Anxiety?

The human body is an amazing vessel that carries out thousands of operations every minute. Despite early thoughts that the mind is separate from the body, ongoing research shows an undeniable link between our mental, emotional, and physical states. And while stress is a normal part of life, a consistent inability to cope with everyday stressors, or experiencing persistent fear or worry, is a sign of a bigger problem.

People suffering from chronic clinical anxiety experience worry, fear, or specific phobias to the extent that it affects their ability to maintain a level attitude and function normally. This may manifest as an aversion to socializing, fear of specific places or things, a reaction to past trauma, or an overwhelming general sense of sadness and worry. There are many forms of anxiety which have been identified and we will cover the major categories throughout this course.

Course Requirements

This course will not require you to have previous experience in any particular area but you should have a high school reading level. No books will be required.

Course Topics

Lesson 1: Introduction to Anxiety

Lesson 2: General Anxiety Disorder

Lesson 3: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Lesson 4: Panic Disorder

Lesson 5: Social Anxiety Disorder

Lesson 6: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Lesson 7: Childhood Anxiety

Lesson 8: Anxiety and Eating Disorders

Course Materials

All course material will be provided in the lessons and netlinks. There are no required materials to purchase before taking the class.

Grading Policy

Each lesson will include a lesson review quiz. An assignment will be included in several of the lessons. Students will successfully complete this course with an overall average of 70% or higher.

Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

Define what an anxiety disorder is and how it can be triggered.

Identify Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) and how to cope with them.

Describe panic disorders and social anxiety disorders and how to deal with them.

Describe and identify Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and ways to cope with them.

Describe what childhood anxiety is and how it manifests itself in children.

Recognize anxiety and eating disorders and how to cope with these disorders and seek professional help, and